Melody of Torment
by S Prime
Summary: Twelve years after the events of Ocarina of Time; past, present and future overlaps as Link’s quest for his lost friend finally reaches its conclusion. Follow the hero of time as he discovers evil, not from without, but from within.
1. On a Moonless Night

**Chapter 1**

On a Moonless Night

* * *

_Time… is a cruel thing…_

_No matter how hard you wish for it to stop, it flows endlessly as everything withers and rises anew. Even if the heavens were to come crashing down and destroy every traces of our existence, it shall move on like nothing has ever happened. It is the only thing that will always remain certain, that which we must accept as an inevitability._

_Time, is as the goddesses meant it to be… And in order to preserve its integrity, they gave to select individuals the power to alter its currents. But even they, were never able to harness its flow._

_Long ago, there were those who tried to defy the will of the goddesses and bend the flow of time in order to suit their own selfish purpose. And this… is such a tale._

_In the land of Hyrule, there echoes a legend. A legend held dearly by the Royal Family that tells of a boy. A boy who, after battling evil and saving Hyrule, crept away from the land that made him a legend. Done with the battles he once waged across time, he embarked on a journey. A secret and personal journey… A journey in search of a beloved and invaluable friend. A friend with whom he parted ways when he finally fulfilled his heroic destiny and took his place among legends._

_For twelve years, he wandered… He saw wonders that no hylians had ever witnessed before and met friends that he had long since thought lost. Only to later discover that the name they bore and the mask they wore, were nothing but a pale shadow of their former selves…_

_Still searching, still hoping that his treasured friend might lie just beyond the next hill…_

_However, as the flow of time went on, so did he realize that his journey had lost meaning. After all this time, he could no longer tell where his next destination lied. _

_He… was lost._

_But then, something both frightening and marvelous happened. This faint voice, hidden within the bowels of his heart, spoke to him once more. And for the first time, he listened..._

* * *

It all began on this fateful day, when dark clouds suddenly engulfed the sky, causing a freezing rain to fall upon the unsuspecting realm of Hyrule.

Taken by surprise by this sudden change of weather, a lone girl and her loyal farm hand struggled to guide the denizens of Lon Lon Ranch back to their shelters before their home was completely swallowed by the storm.

By the time she was finished, the girl's clothes were completely soaked with water, prompting her to race back home before she froze to death.

When she reached the door, she heard the sounds of barking as the farm hand and his hounds rushed to meet her. "Are you done yet, Miss Malon?" He asked, feeling his old bones waver under the weight of exhaustion.

Indeed, the livestock had been especially stubborn lately and it was truly a miracle that they had managed to bring them in as quickly as they had. "Yes, are you alright, Ingo?" The ginger-haired woman replied, genuinely concerned about the old man's health.

But unfortunately, before Ingo could provide any sort of answer, they heard loud noises coming from the wooden gate not too far from them. Noises, which Malon immediately recognized as the distinct toll of her father's bell.

The roads weren't nearly as safe as they used to be since the Gerudoes had moved to the edge of Hyrule Fields, and if someone was desperate enough to be visiting them at this hour, this probably meant that they would be having guests. "Hmph… They never stop coming, do they?" The stuffy farm hand sighed, reaching his trusted pitchfork. "I'll handle this Miss Malon, I'll be back shortly."

Acknowledging his response, Malon allowed herself to watch the old man drag himself all the way to the gate, knowing fully well that this uproar would only intensify had they chosen to ignore it.

Once he arrived at the gate, the farm hand opened the slot that had been carved into one of the wooden doors and yelled. "Get lost! We don't accept any visitors past eight o'clock. Come back tomorrow!"

Then for a few seconds, everything went silent. Impassible, their visitor reached for something inside his purse, paying little heed to the old man's previous outburst.

Between the rain and the absence of light all around him, Ingo could barely decipher the stranger's appearance, though he had a pretty good idea of what he was dealing with. This hooded person was definitely a man, most likely in his early twenties and he could also make out the silhouette of a large horse somewhere close by.

Closing in toward the gate, the unexpected visitor extended his palm before Ingo's eyes, revealing the perfect and sensuous form of a purple rupee. "There are far more of those from where this came from." He began, with only a slight hint of contempt. "I don't suppose I could get you to... reconsider?"

Torn between his desire for more of those small rupees and his profound dislike for those squatting strangers that never failed to show up, the call of those shiny jewels was simply too much for him to ignore. And so, Ingo reluctantly replied. "Alright, you win! But this better not be a trick or you're gonna taste some of this pitchfork!"

Thus, the slim farm hand opened the gate, allowing their hooded visitor inside as he dragged his mare across the frozen lawn.

The stuffy old man couldn't quite say why, but he could have sworn that something was amiss about this stranger. It was almost as if those black clouds were following him on purpose, yet for some reason, he could find no other evidence to back up his claim.

Realizing that his own forehead was drenched in water, Ingo quickly followed in the stranger's footsteps, who was now heading toward Malon.

From afar, the young girl was watching their newly-arrived guest with great interest. Were it simply for his large bag, that was overflowing with many strange and foreign items, she could have easily mistaken him for some sort of peddler. But the ornate shield and sword that he was carrying had already given him away. "Some adventuring type, perhaps?" She had asked herself, as he approached some more.

He was kind of handsome in a rugged sort of way, though he wasn't quite close enough for her to properly distinguish his features. His green tunic had been seemingly torn apart repeatedly throughout his travel and from what she could tell, many patches of brown leather had since replaced the delicate fabric that had gone into his outfit. Truly mysterious, to say the least.

However, when the man finally reached her, the dogs starting barking angrily at him. Startling her, as he attempted to raise his voice above the ruckus. "I would like to rent one of your rooms for the night. The price doesn't matter."

Bowing slightly as Ingo sent a harsh glance to his hounds, she answered. "Of course, you're both welcome here." The ginger-haired woman began, visibly referring to her visitor's mount. "Would you like us to take her off your hands for the time being?"

Uncomfortable, the hooded stranger replied. "If it's not too much trouble…"

"Not at all." She answered, literally brimming with confidence. "Ingo, would you mind taking our guest's mount back to the stables?"

Whining silently, the old man grabbed the large horse's reins. But unfortunately, as he tried to get it to move, that stubborn animal simply refused to comply. In fact, she was getting angrier by the second and while their guest attempted to calm her, Ingo had seemingly lost his temper. "Damned beast, so that's how you want to play it, huh?"

Taking out his whip from his belt, the annoyed farm hand was immediately stopped by the young woman, if only so that he would not lash out at the poor thing. "Stop it Ingo! I'll take care of it myself, alright! Please guide our guest to his room while I'm gone."

Mr. Ingo grudgingly attached his cruel appendage back to his waist and allowed Malon to work her magic, soothing the troubled mare almost instantly as she grabbed its reins.

Unable to understand what had just occurred, the farm hand nodded and beckoned their visitor in so that they could get themselves cleaned up.

Once they were done wiping the water from their faces, they entered a room where a fat old man was snoring peacefully with his back sitting against a wooden crate. Upon hearing their footsteps, the gray-mustached farmer woke up prematurely and managed to draw their guest's attention."Hey, kid! Why don't you come and play with my super cuccos?" He had said, clearly not making any sense due to the absence of any actual cucco. "They haven't had any exercises in ages!"

"Oh shut up, old fool!" Ingo had replied angrily before he could even realize the hooded man's confusion. "Don't bother our guest with your incessant babbling."

The bald gentleman's features saddened suddenly and with his voice shaking, he replied. "Mean old man. Go away!"

Witnessing the grown man bursting in sobs, the farm hand harshly added. "Oh, stop it! Miss Malon is far too good with you. If I weren't so sure that you weren't faking, I'd kick your sorry self back to work." Then, without the slightest consideration for his longtime employer, he said. "Don't pay any attention to this old fool, he no longer have all his head. Follow me, I'll show you your room."

The mysterious visitor took a long glance back at that pathetic old man that had greeted him earlier and finally convinced himself to follow Ingo up the stairs.

* * *

Meanwhile, at the stables, Miss Malon had already managed to bring the stranger's horse in without a fuss and led her further away from the others so that she wouldn't be needlessly frightened.

This particular mare was truly a sight to behold, despite her rather advanced age. So far, she had seemed content to obey the young girl, which turned out to be quite a surprise given her previous encounter with Mr. Ingo.

Once they arrived to their destination, the affectionate animal rubbed her reddish-brown head upon the woman's shoulder, who in turn passed her hand inside her snowy-white mane. That is, until she felt something odd dripping from her fingers. No matter how she tried to look at it, this most certainly looked like blood mixed with the slightest bit of water. But the strangest thing was, that there were absolutely no injuries to be found on her crest... "Perhaps this belongs to our visitor?" She had wondered, apprehensive.

Whether she liked it or not, this person had successfully aroused her curiosity. And so, she finally decided to head back to the ranch.

Back there, she had found her father sitting against a wooden crate, his eyes slightly closed as sleep was slowly beginning to claim him. Malon approached the mustached man and with a calm voice she said. "Dad, you should really go to bed, this is no place for you to sleep."

Talon nodded silently, as the ginger-haired woman helped her father stand up and walked him back to his room. Then, once he was done changing, she entered his room only to find him already lying in bed.

However, as she prepared to leave, she was immediately stopped by a familiar voice calling her name. "Malon?"

Miss Malon froze in place, utterly unable to process the fact that the old man had suddenly remembered her name. "Yes, dad?" She replied softly.

"I'm sorry…" Talon began, clearly having trouble finding the words that he was trying to express.

Bending silently on her father's bedside, the girl timidly asked. "About what?"

If anything, Talon looked more lucid now than he had ever been in the past years. "I'm sorry for leaving you alone like this!" The old man replied, pulling his daughter as close to him as he could, while his expression degenerated into sobs.

Speechless, the young woman had simply no idea what she was supposed to do. On good days, Talon seemed to instinctively remember that she was someone important, but something of this magnitude was almost mystical in nature...

No hylian doctor could do anything for him and from what she had heard from Mr. Ingo, her father had apparently 'shut himself inside his damn head'. From this point on, the afflicted farmer could no longer manage the ranch and since she was still too young to handle the family business on her own, Ingo had stepped up to purchase it until she was old enough to repay him.

During the past years, there had been no improvements in Talon's condition; and from what they had said, he would probably never recover.

Yet from time to time, there was something that made his memory resurface and during those times, she could have sworn that what he said was actually making sense, but never as much as he did now. Crying, her father had went on. "I'm so sorry… I didn't want things to be this way!"

Gently patting him on the back, Malon answered. "It's not your fault dad… You… You've done nothing wrong."

"I'm so sorry…" The mustached man had tried to go on, but by the time his daughter felt his hands grow weaker, Talon had already fallen asleep...

These last few moments had been… frightening, to say the least. Yet, the ginger-haired woman finally resolved to sneak out quietly, if only not to inconvenience him any further.

From that point on, she knew that she couldn't sleep. And so, she took it upon herself to find out a little more about their guest.

Mr. Ingo was already asleep, but a dimly lit door across the hallway silently beckoned to her. Lightly pushing the doorknob, Malon looked through the opening and noticed that the bed hadn't been undone yet; the hooded man was probably still awake.

Though she struggled to convince herself that this was none of her business, she slowly opened the door and gazed across the room.

The mysterious stranger had fallen asleep on a chair close to the window and had finally decided to take his hood off. Much like she had already guessed, this man was most likely in his early twenties and his ears obviously suggested that he was of hylian lineage.

His face twisted into a permanent frown as his dark blond hair rested peacefully upon his neck, the young man seemed to be completely unaware of her presence. Yet the more she looked at him, the more she realized that it was impossible that the blood she had found truly belonged to him.

It was then, that she noticed his backpack resting upon the table. She tried to convince herself that she shouldn't be snooping at this hour of the night, but her curiosity got the better of her.

Watching her steps, Malon approached the unattended container in the hope of finding some clues as to their guest's identity. However, as she tried to open the bag, she was suddenly paralyzed when she realized that something was grabbing her arm. Terrified, the woman turned to see what was going on and witnessed a hand covered in blood-soaked bandages…

* * *

**Author's Ramblings :** Well, hello there everyone… I suppose that you've been wondering what the hell this story is all about and why is someone, who has only done Megaman stories so far, is now doing by trying to make a story based on the Legend of Zelda. Anyway, let's just say that at some point, I started playing some of my old games and eventually decided to begin a new game of Ocarina of Time. Then, as I was playing, I suddenly remembered the infamous cliffhanger left at the end of Ocarina of Time and the beginning/end of Majora Mask.

After a few researches, I found the answer to my question but wasn't exactly satisfied with my answer and how Majora Mask ended with the huge gap left between it and Wind Waker. Which is apparently some sort of alternate dimension or separate timeline, whatever...

So, I decided to make my own alternate sequel to satisfy my own twisted mind and experiment with some new writing techniques. However, you should be aware that I do not plan to take everything said within the manga (which I haven't read) and within the re-releases of Nintendo for granted. This story is all about my own assumptions of how a sequel to Majora Mask should have been like.

This chapter has undergone rewrites following the release of Chapter 5*

**Preview:** Realizing that she had been caught in the act, Malon tries to justify her presence at this hour of the night and eventually comes to the realization that she already knew this person. Feeling that something was amiss with this young man that she used to know, she invites him to stay at the ranch a few more days so that she may learn a little more about the motives of his return to Hyrule. Who is this mysterious stranger anyway? And what could possibly bring him back there after so many years?


	2. Lost, but not Forgotten

**Chapter 2**

Lost, but not Forgotten

* * *

A few minutes after his arrival, the unknown stranger fell asleep while quietly sitting on a comfortable chair. Asleep… no, not entirely; though he knew he was safe, he still would not allow himself to rest. Fortunately, the lingering pain of the past few days helped keep him awake even though his eyes were now shut.

This was why he could see her; this was why he knew she was trying to sneak past him; believing naïvely that sleep had claimed him. Then, once she was within arm reach; he caught her arm and felt the pain stirring from his freshly closed wound.

The girl froze, her terrified blue eyes meeting with his as she tried to figure out how she could have been so stupid. The stranger spoke, knowing that he now had her full attention. "Isn't it awfully late to be snooping inside your guest's room? I THOUGHT that I had also purchased my privacy when I CONVINCED the farm hand to let me in."

Malon was left speechless; though she was trying hard, no words seemed to come out from her throat. Sighing, the stranger allowed her arm to go free while he stood from his chair. Then, after gently brushing her aside, he closed his backpack to ensure that she would not have any opportunity to take a peek at its content. The girl finally managed to mumble an apology, though she still seemed to be quite shaken. The stranger asked, his back still turned on her. "So, what did you want that couldn't wait for tomorrow, Malon?"

The ginger-haired woman timidly answered. "I'm sorry… I just… wanted to see if you needed anything."

The stranger remained calm, perfectly aware that she was lying. "There are things in there, things that could prove to be extremely dangerous for someone like you; I would hate to see something happen to you just because I wasn't paying attention."

Behind him, the girl nodded quietly. "I'm terribly sorry… It won't happen again."

The man grinned, turned to face her and replied ironically. "I'm sure it won't. So, what did you really want to know?"

If she hadn't felt so guilty back then, Malon would have denied everything; but for some reasons, she simply could not bring herself to lie to him now. "I found blood… in your horse's mane… blood that did not seem to belong to her. So I was wondering…"

Slowly revealing the back of his right hand, which was covered in bloodied bandages, the stranger explained. "It reopened when I tried to calm her down. Does this satisfy you?"

The girl bowed her head slightly and answered. "Yes, thank you very much…"

Torn between her desire to know more about this mysterious person and this mixed feeling of terror and relief she was experiencing; Malon wondered whether or not he would be willing to answer a few more questions. "But, if it's not asking too much, would you at least tell me your name? You've probably already heard mine from Mr. Ingo, so I believe it would be fair if I referred to you as something else than just 'stranger' …"

The man in torn clothes pondered whether or not he should tell her; but if she remembered, she probably deserved to know; and if she didn't, then it would not matter. "Link will have to suffice."

She repeated after him. "Link…" The sound of this name seemed to remind her of something; but the feeling vanished almost as soon as it had resurfaced, so it was probably nothing.

Gauging her reaction, he guessed that he was probably expecting far too much from her. "So, now that your questions have been answered. May I ask you to leave? I happen to be exhausted and I could use some rest."

Obviously, the young woman could tell that she was no longer welcome, so she said. "Of course, once again, I apologize for intruding. Good night."

Link answered distantly, as if he had already retreated within the confines of his own mind; shutting himself from any unwanted company. "Likewise…"

The ginger-haired girl left her guest in a hurry and headed toward her own room; knowing that it was now pointless to sleep.

Once she was done changing, Malon buried her head deeply within her pillow; closing her eyes to replay the events of the past few hours within her mind. As she progressed, she began to hear the echoes of her conversation with this strange man; the name 'Link' in particular, kept coming back to her, as if she was missing something important.

Then, later on, two words escaped almost spontaneously from her lips, as she felt her consciousness waning. "Fairy boy… …?"

* * *

Outside, little had changed since his arrival; dark forms were still filling the sky and were dousing every single light except for the small lamp that he had lit. Link gazed through the glass of the window, hoping that he could make some sense out of why he had chosen to come back; when he knew that there was nothing more to be found here. "To everything, there must be a beginning…" he thought; still questioning the validity of those words of wisdom.

Though he refused to admit it, this place still held some significance for him; it was here, twelve years ago, that he finally found the courage to ask her if he could borrow Epona… Back then, she had no clue of what he was planning; and she would not have lent her to him if only she had known the hardships that her beloved mount would have to endure in his company…

She had changed; that much he could tell. The terrified young woman he saw, probably would not remember, but Link would never forget how amazed he felt when he fist set his eyes upon her; she was truly beautiful…

Back then, he was scared; just emerging from the spiraling trees of the forest, he knew little of the world outside the Kokiri Forest. When he first crossed the drawbridge that led to Hyrule Castle Town; he stumbled upon a crowded market filled with songs and the cries of hundreds of peoples, running aimlessly through the displays of the various shopkeepers.

As a child, he tried to ask for directions and soon managed to get a hold of a lone messenger, who kept running in circle in a desperate attempt to keep up with his impossible schedule; but once he had caught his attention, it seemed like his skin twisted into that of a human-faced devil who the asked in a booming voice. "What do you want, kid?"

Terrified, he could find no word to express what he was trying to say. The impatient fiend's legs twitched as he realized that this boy was clearly wasting his time. "I'm late! I'm late! I have to deliver this as soon as possible, what do you really want?"

Link felt no air coming through his lungs and tried to convince himself that this was just a nightmare.

His fairy, noticing that something was amiss, spoke to him, believing that he could still hear her voice above all the ruckus. "Link? What's wrong? Link?"

Visibly angered, the demon replied. "I'm sorry, but I don't know what I can do to help you, kid… Good luck."

The child looked desperately around him, but soon found himself swallowed within this crowd filled with mockeries of humanity; his fairy being separated from him in the process.

Then, as he tried to escape this suffocating mass of flesh, he saw her… His heart stopped beating when he realized that she had also noticed him; her lips turned into a playful smile and she beckoned to him. From there on, she would always remain the first hylian he had ever met; though it wasn't exactly true as he later found out when his mind cleared up.

But now, was the Malon that was offering him shelter and that tried to spy on him; the same as the one he had met twelve years ago? Was she the same Malon that he had saved from bandits on the Gorman Racetrack? Or the one that actually believed she could save her cows from those 'things', when she could barely lift a bow? Or perhaps she was neither of them…

His head, his memories, they were all messed up… He could still feel this rusted knife hanging over his head, causing him to reach instinctively for those wicked reminders of events best forgotten.

Two blackened wounds, barely bigger than an eyelash and yet, far more painful than any others he had experienced…

Link clung to the glass, his nails scratching its rugged surface as he felt his strength waning.

Tomorrow… He had to leave tomorrow…

* * *

Malon was already awake when he reached the kitchen. This time, she had traded her dress for something a little more practical; a simple outfit that seemed to yell that there was a lot of work to be done on a ranch. How early it was? He could not tell, maybe 6 o'clock in the morning.

The girl gleefully greeted him, now being convinced that he was in fact, the same boy that she had met so long ago. "Hey there, fairy boy!"

Link was surprised; she did remember him after all…

For some reasons, perhaps out of guilt, the girl seemed determined to catch up with the old times and began asking him lots of questions about his travels.

The man indulged her, carefully omitting the darkest parts of his story. He spoke to her of a land where the lives of all its inhabitants were entirely controlled by an oversized clock; of faraway continents where no hylians had been before; of grandiose celebrations that he had witnessed though never been a part of.

And her? She drank every word he said as if those things actually mattered.

Maybe, just maybe, she actually felt sorry about having to take care of her sick father and manage the family business on her own. Link, however, did not feel that way. He did not chose to travel, he did because he had to; because there was no home come back with this person gone…

Unfortunately, much to Malon disappointment, her father descended the stairs and joined them within the kitchen. Talon sat without a word, barely giving any attention to Link or to his daughter; staring blankly at the table as if he was no longer aware of where he was…

* * *

Later this morning, the young woman was back from feeding the cuccos when she noticed Link standing a little further away from the stables. She saw him whistle three times in a row and then doing so twice before she saw his horse appearing out of nowhere to meet him. The man in torn clothes petted her slowly and whispered something for her ears alone.

And so, the proud horse nodded as if she had actually understood what he had told her and ran toward the enclosure.

The girl ran to his side and asked. "Is that…?"

"Yes." Reaching for something inside his wallet, Link took her hand softly within his.

The young woman, mesmerized by this sudden closeness, silently watched him work as he placed two small objects within her palm.

He explained. "Make sure you keep her happy and well fed. Epona has been the only friend I could truly rely on during my travels; and as such, she deserves that much."

He freed her hand, allowing her to take a look at the three golden rupees he had slipped inside it.

Malon could not believe it; six hundred rupees, for something she would have gladly done for free. This was more than Ingo made in months. "Well… Hm… Thank you, but…"

It was too late; Link was already on his way toward the wooden gate when she ran back to stop him. "Where do you think your going?"

Link answered, impassively. "I'm leaving."

The girl tried to say something, but he was once again way ahead of her; in truth, she did not want him to leave so soon, so she yelled. "Where are you going?"

Sighing, he turned and allowed her to catch up with him. She asked once more. "Where are you going?"

"Hyrule Castle Town, I still have some business to deal with there."

Then, Malon remembered that she had a milk delivery scheduled in about three days; but if she rushed things a little, she could at least buy time by giving him a ride. "Why don't you stay a little longer? I'm heading there this afternoon and considering all the money you just gave me, the least I can do is give you a ride."

Link did not like the idea of being delayed any longer, but he could not find the courage to deny her when he realized that her eyes were almost begging him to stay. "Fine."

"Of course!"

* * *

By now, Link and Malon were already on their way toward Hyrule Castle Town. Sitting behind wagon, as if he was keeping watch for some unknown menace that would stalk them even in full daylight, the man was too absorbed within his own thoughts to pay any attention to the ginger-haired woman that was sitting a little further away from him.

For some reasons, the girl kept talking, perhaps only to fill up the unsettling silence that surrounded her ever since they left the ranch. In fact, she felt far lonelier around him than she had ever been when she was alone.

The young woman wondered if he was not in pain, he seemed to keeping to himself; as if he was carrying a burden of a sort, that he refused to share with anyone else… Something horrible that made him seek isolation and rendered him unable to accept any form of kindness that he was offered.

It did not seem to be some kind of physical illness; in fact, she was amazed at how easily he loaded large barrels of milk with little efforts while her own back hurt every time she tried to carry one. Perhaps it was something like her father?

Was this why she wished for him to open up to her, though he was little more than a childhood acquaintance?

Malon took a peek behind the wagon and saw him staring at the horizon, silent, growing more impatient as they approached their destination.

Soon, they crossed the bridge that led to Hyrule Castle Town; they stopped right before they reached the market. Once he was done getting off the wagon, Link said. "I'm leaving."

The woman shook her head. "Yeah, I figured that much."

Mechanically grabbing his backpack, he finally went on. "Goodbye."

He left, leaving her speechless as he walked ahead without ever looking back. Before he was out of her reach, Malon yelled spontaneously, hoping for a somewhat better ending than the one he had chosen. "Hey, fairy boy! Make sure you come back and visits before you leave again!"

To her surprise, he replied. "Maybe I will!"

But as she gazed at him for the last time, she felt some kind of emptiness emanating from him; something that was chilling her to the very core… Had she made the right choice to let him go?

* * *

**Author's Ramblings :** And here goes the second chapter. Now, I believe it should be pretty obvious in the way I wrote this chapter and how I choose to put such emphasis on Link psyche and memories, that I do not believe in the usual 'happy ever after' mentality shown within the games. In my point of view, Link would have to be completely messed up after having to face so many hardships in his childhood and the choices he made afterward. In the end, he always choose to leave without telling anyone and I believe that as a result, he would probably end up withdrawing into himself. Or at least, so I think.

**Preview:** His goal was at hand, he only had to endure a little longer and all would come to a conclusion. But things were not so simple… Link finds himself imprisoned once again within a lightless cell where he is forced to relive the most painful experience of his life. Friendless and without hope, only despair awaits those who bears the mark of the hag…


	3. The Hag's Nails

**Chapter 3**

The Hag's Nails

* * *

How it happened? Link couldn't tell… In fact, he could remember nothing of what happened before he regained consciousness, about half-way toward his cell… Back then; he could feel little else than the touch of cold steel upon his wrists and a sharp pain coming from the back of his neck, as two guards dragged him all the way to an isolated room.

His captors, realizing that he was now awake, pressed on before he could muster any kinds of resistance; then, they tossed him inside, without any more ceremonies… Confused and disoriented, Link realized he could not move an inch without wishing he could tear his head off.

One of the guards stepped inside, his metallic boots resonating throughout the cell as he approached his prisoner. "Hmph! Worthless scum. What were you trying to prove by sneaking in with all those weapons?"

The young man chooses not to answer; instead, he reached for the back of his neck, trying to figure out what could possibly have gone wrong.

Meanwhile, his captor walked by, visibly angered at the fact that he would not even acknowledge their presence. "Trying to murder the queen, weren't you?" Suddenly, the hylian soldier turned, kicking his prisoner in the abdomen, causing the latter to let out a muffled groan as the man's armored foot reached his chest.

Link could only watch, helpless, as the two guards continued to beat him for a crime he had not even committed…

Luckily, his captors grew bored with him and left, closing the door as they returned to their respective duties.

Lying on the floor, bloody and battered, Link could no longer muster the strength to stand; he could no longer feel anything beyond the filthy smell of his cell. How could it have come to this? He, the hero of time, caught so easily…

But of course, now that he was no longer a kid, he should have known that sneaking inside Hyrule Castle would prove troublesome; after all, it was far easier to spot a grown man from a distance rather than a child hiking through walls of roots… It was ironic really… After spending so little time away from his previous cell, he still managed to make his way back in prison without anyone forcing him to.

Link rolled on his back, his spine resting upon the humid floor as the memories continued to rush in… It would not matter… Unlike then, he would not have to suffer long before death finally claimed him.

* * *

The haunted wasteland… … … For years, this windblown desert has served as a hideout for the ruthless Gerudo thieves that plagued the outskirts of Hyrule.

During the last decades, few hylians dared to venture within this accursed wasteland; and fewer still, survived to tell the tale… A graveyard without headstones they called it, a storm-filled ocean of sand where those who were not robbed or tricked by the dark-skinned women's, were forgotten…

Amidst this desert, a lone man was leading his mare through the dunes; weary, barely able to pull her reins as she refused to go on.

Oh, how foolish he had been; to think that he could make it past this desert and make it safely back to Hyrule… In fact, it had been more than half-an-hour since the hooded man had seen any of the Gerudos warnings; and now, he was beginning to fear that he might not be able to make it this time.

The storm was fierce; weapons and courage could do little good against such a force of nature. Another step… just another step… … …

Unfortunately, he could not go on; it was pointless really, he would never be able to find his way through this sandstorm… His mare lowered her head, trying to wake him up; but it was too late, her master, had already given up.

But this was not the end… Far from it…

Thieves had been following him for quite some times now; after all, how hard could it be to rob someone who was already running after his own death?

But he was not dead… That much he learned once he woke up; alone, surrounded by shadows as he realized that every single of his limbs were chained to a wall. Link could not distinguish anything around him; save for a massive door harboring a small opening that gave off no light. Where was he? How could he have survived?

Unfortunately, those questions would not be answered until much later, when an old woman, dressed in black, entered his cell. From afar, Link was unable to pierce the veil of darkness that was surrounding her, and was unable to tell whether or not she was one of the dark-skinned Gerudo.

The old hag approached, and spoke in a voice that sent chills through her prisoner's body. "Senile… Senile they called me when I told them to intercept whoever they could find that fitted your description… Twelve years of researches, twelve years waiting for you to come back… And now, you finally deign to appear before me… Why?"

The man answered, unable to understand what this was all about. "I will not answer any of your questions, hag; not until you have given me your name or that you tell me why I am covered in chains."

"Questions, questions… irrelevant. Long have I been waiting for your return, hero of time…"

Strange… Only a handful of persons in Hyrule were ever aware of the existence of the hero of time; and yet none of which could have had anything to do with this woman… How could SHE know? "Who are you? Reveal yourself, hag!"

The decrepit witch chuckled slightly. "You do not remember me…? You DO NOT remember me?"

The mysterious woman reached him with unnatural swiftness, her features still unrecognizable even though she was now only a few inches away from him. She spoke once more, her fetid breath caressing his neck as she went on. "You really do not remember me?"

"Stop these games, hag. Who ARE you?"

Infuriated, the old woman tore his tunic apart with her bare hands; burying her wicked nails beneath his flesh as she went on. "Oh, I will make you remember… A thousand times if necessary… but you will soon learn that it is pointless to struggle." Forcing him to watch, the witch made him come closer, while blood continued to drip from his freshly open wound.

Though at first he had been unable to do so, but now he could clearly see her long nose covered in pustules, her sickly-green skin almost decaying as if time itself ate it away; her long gray hairs that were falling down on each sides of her head and her face, which was painted with crude make-up that did little to hide the ugliness of her features. It was impossible… She was dead… "Y-You're dead… You do not exist… You…"

And yet it was her, Twinrova… guardian of the Spirit Temple, fused form of the Gerudo witches Koume and Kotake, loyal minions and surrogate mothers of the man who first unleashed evil upon Hyrule… Killed twelve years ago by the hero of time, and yet undeniably alive. "Ah, so you do remember, now."

"But how? His minions… they all vanished… How can you…"

The old woman dug her talon-like nails deeper within his skin as she went on. "The ones created through his sorcery… perhaps… But we, were still alive when you traveled across time to brutally murder his highness… Did you really think that you could get away with murdering our one and only king? Did you really think that we would let you deprive us of a monarch for another century?"

Link was overcome with a strange feeling, Twinrova's nails made their way even further within his body, almost as if she was actually clawing at his soul rather than at his chest; he asked, with nausea almost overwhelming him. "Nobody else remembered… Only two of us are still aware of what happened twelve years ago… So how can you still remember…?"

"No witches makes it beyond their first two centuries without learning a thing or two about the wheels of time. I sensed that something was missing… That perhaps someone had tampered with the fabrics of time; and eventually, I was able to decipher its nature and learned of what you had done to us and to our king."

"So what are you planning…? Are you… Are you planning to bring him back?"

The witch stopped, her lips turning into an evil grin as she replied. "No, he is out of my reach now… But you, on the other hand, are not…" Twinrova reached for one of her pockets and took out a small rusted knife that seemed to have never been used before.

Link watched her eyes come life as she closely examined the knife and removed her nails from his skin. Delightfully disgusted by the state of her instrument, the hag plunged it through his right arm, forcing a scream out of the young man as she move it down through his forearm. She spoke, unable to take her eyes off the torrent of blood coming down his limb. "I, shall introduce you to marvels of pain that your little mind cannot even begin to conceive; sufferings, that will make you beg me for death as I plunge this blade through your heart… But in the end, death shall never come for you… the pain will go on… forever…."

Terrified, the hero of time could only watch, helpless, as the old woman worked her way through his flesh… She kept him conscious for so long that he could no longer tell whether it lasted seconds or hours; indulging him to levels of pains that only someone brought to the brink of madness could ever dream of…

The young man's gritted his teeth, almost crushing them as the blood continued to flow out of his veins; unable to stop screaming as he silently prayed for release…

Eventually, even Twinrova was forced to admit that her prisoner's body could not take anymore before collapsing; so in the end, she stopped, allowing him to marinate within his own juice as she promised to come back to resume his punishment.

After she left, Link's head was spinning so rapidly that he could no longer stop himself from puking. Staring at the content of his stomach, the man realized that there was absolutely no way that he would make it through the next hour; he lost so much blood already, that nobody could possibly do something to help him. His mind began to leave his body, elevating itself high above the sky as his consciousness faded away…

From afar, he could see nothing… just the void, threatening to swallow him. Amidst the darkness, he could feel his soul merge with the universe; literally melting with the shadows as a small light appeared on the distance.

Somehow, as it grew brighter, Link felt his body turn back to normal; still chained to an invisible wall, the young man could only stand there while green rays of light caressed his skin. It called to him… it beckoned to him… a golden glint smothered amidst this overwhelming light.

He asked, his voice barely able to rise above a whisper. "… W-Wh… Who… are…you?"

The voice answered in a commanding voice; clearer than the sound of running water and more powerful than the storm that had brought him here. "I AM THE LAW."

The young man failed to understand what the voice meant, so he asked once more. "W-What… are you…?"

This time, silence was his only answer; but strangely enough, he thought he could see something that looked like a human shape. It walked toward him, not making a single sound, its head cast down as if it refused to look at him.

Progressively, the vision faded; and the shape of a dark-skinned woman, dressed in pure-white clothes, appeared before his eyes… She was no more than sixteen years old, with hairs like fires and eyes devoid of any light; she walked toward him, holding a silver plate upon which a glass container, filled with red liquid, rested.

Link could not help but to wonder if this was just another dream… But somehow, he knew it was not.

Who was she? Was she just another of Twinrova's brainwashed minions? Or simply a blessing sent by the goddesses to support him during such dark hours… He, would never know…

* * *

With the details of his past captivity still hanging within the back of his head, Link crawled on the ground, trying to reach a nearby wall as his body begged for him to stop. He rested his back against the wall of stone, trying to forget all the torture he had went through and the beating he had received at the hands of Hyrule Castle's guards.

Remain focused… that was the key; find something to cling onto until help would come. She would surely come to rescue him once she learned of his imprisonment… she had to…

The man stared ahead... focusing his mind on whatever he could find on the other side of his cell… A bug, a loose chain, a crack within the wall; anything would do, anything not to remember.

How it happened? Link couldn't tell… The only thing he knew was that he heard a voice coming from one of the darkened corners of his cell, a voice that spoke those same words that he had learned to fear more than anything else. "I see that you have recovered, hero of time."

The young man knew then, that his demons… had finally caught up with him. "Now, it is time for us to resume your… punishment."

* * *

**Author's Ramblings :** Well, I suppose this took long enough… As you may have noticed up to this point, I have absolutely no intention of sticking with the somewhat innocent feel that Nintendo always gives to its flagship products. Though I may be repeating myself, I cannot stress enough the fact that though the Legend of Zelda series is probably the darkest of the lot, it remains a fact that most of these games are also aimed for children; hence why Link has never exactly killed anyone except for Sakon, when the player is given the opportunity to send a fire arrow right at his stolen bomb bag.

I mean, doesn't it seems a little odd that a sword-swinging hero, like Link; never ended up killing anyone? Come on, he has been firing tons of arrows at Gerudo Thieves only to have them faint afterward; he has also hit Sakon with a sword only to have him drop the bag unscratched and he has also fought Ganondorf so many times only to have him suddenly imprisoned within some kinds of weird dimension.

This has been bothered me for a while, and even though I agree with them that this was the proper course of actions to take; I simply can't bring myself to stick with this 'mega happy end' mentality. As an author, I believe that whatever happened to Link after the events of Ocarina of Time, he simply couldn't live a normal life after all that happened during his childhood. Which is exactly why I prefer to depict Link in a somewhat darker fashion.

**Preview:** What happened afterward? No one could tell… The only thing they knew; is that soon after, Hyrule Castle's dungeon suddenly became filled with the screams of one of its prisoner. Queen Zelda would-be assassin attempted to take his own life through the use of some fel sorceries; and is now hanging on the line between life and death. Will Hyrule Castle's doctor succeed to stabilize him long enough for the queen to learn the identity of her would-be assassin?


	4. Vision of Ruin

**Chapter 4**

Vision of Ruin

* * *

Nothing in his career as Royal Healer could have prepared him for what he saw that morning. Sleeping quietly within the comfort of his sheets, Alonsius was forcefully brought up from his bed, to attend to one of the dungeon's newest occupant.

The guards had barely left him enough time to dress properly, and as his slippers threaded the cold stairwell, the Warden beckoned him inside. Inhuman screams escaped through the previously shut gate, and our portly subject walked past the empty corridors of the castle's prison; until he reached a cell, guarded by two livid soldiers.

What Alonsius saw, made his blood run cold, a young man sweating blood through his every pore; screaming in agony, as he squirmed upon the ground. There was little light to be found within these dungeons, and so, the warden lit a lamp while the healer fetched his glasses.

Looking through the light, he suddenly realized that things were much more serious than he had first anticipated. "Why didn't you fetch me earlier? What did you do to him?"

The Warden vehemently defended himself. "WE didn't do anything! One of the guards heard him scream and went to investigate, he was that way when we found him!"

"Hrmph…" The pig-like healer grumbled, as he instructed the two guards to hold him still. He was losing blood way too fast, and at this rate, this man would be dead within less than half-an-hour. "I'm afraid that we don't have time, I can't do anything for him until we get him stabilized…"

He looked once more through his luggage and couldn't find anything that could potentially ease his pain. His patient broke free from the guards' grip, forcing them to pin him down more forcefully. While the Royal Healer was reluctant to resort to such archaic methods, only a Red Potion could possibly save this person from the jaws of oblivion. "Someone get me a Red Potion, quickly! I don't care where you find it, just DO IT!"

The soldiers previously assembled outside, executed themselves and came back much later, with a bunch of vials filled with a red liquid. "Here!" One of the guards said. "We found those in his belongings."

That prisoner should have been dead; this made no doubt within our healer's mind. Luckily, he had come just in time to stop the worst of the hemorrhage. Alonsius softly poured the unappealing mixture down his throat, and he calmed… if only for a moment.

"I have heard something about those plants from foreign kingdoms, that spies would use to out themselves in case they ever failed their mission. But I never imagined that those stories could be true… we must have missed them somehow." Said the Warden, visibly relieved that they could still find out the identity of the Queen's would-be murderer.

It took some time before Alonsius could attend to his wounds properly, and now our prisoner was just barely breathing through his chest. Whatever had caused this; it wasn't natural, that much was clear to him…

* * *

"… needless to say, something must be done to deal with those thieves in a timely fashion…"

"Agreed! My caravan was raided by those savages three times already!"

"… My Union will not stand for this! Your Majesty, you must…"

"… please reconsider…"

"…"

"… … …"

That's right, this was her life now… … …

As if being the youngest Queen in the history of Hyrule was not already unbelievable, her Highness still managed to sit through endless meetings with those simpletons, without ever surrendering to boredom. It was a wonder that someone so young could display such wisdom and resilience, in the face of the responsibilities that had been laid before her. And yet, she always did so gracefully, and without complains.

His place was not one to mingle with the inadequacies of the Hylian Aristocracy; no, his was one more accustomed to watching from the shadows, until the time was right to act. He was one of the Sheikah, and he was sworn to protect the Royal Family.

Unfortunately, what he had to say could not wait. And so, he subtly reached his Majesty's side and made his presence known. "My Queen?"

"… what sort of kingdom would let its policies be dictated by the interest of foreign she-devils…"

"I protest!"

Yet her composure remained unchanged, regardless of the sheer amount of voices requiring her attention. "Is something the matter, Sheik?" She asked, softly.

It was always disturbing to be so close to her Highness. While the traits of her figure betrayed the burden she carried, her Majesty remained aloof, almost out of place… "I am sorry to interrupt, my Queen; but the guards claim to have taken an intruder into custody, whose purpose in the Castle concerns them. He had a serious amount of weapons on his person, and was also found carrying heirlooms belonging to the Royal Family. Most disturbing of which… is this..." Sheik carefully unveiled a small musical instrument, made out of bluish metal, and presented it before her.

"… … …"

"What should be done with him?" He asked.

"… … …"

"My Queen?" The Sheikah asked once more.

She finally responded. "Have them bring him before me as soon as possible. I want to see this intruder with my own eyes."

"As you wish…"

However, this short banter had already caught the attention of the various aristocrats present within the throne room. "Your Majesty, are you even listening to us? This is a very serious matter that… … …"

"I have heard you just fine, Minister…" The Queen replied, still fully in control. "And I refuse to discuss this even further, until we can properly assess whether the Merchant Guild's concerns are founded. The Gerudo have co-existed with us peacefully for centuries now, and I refuse to take actions based on suppositions alone."

"But… Queen Zelda, think of your loyal subjects… Merchants and commoners alike are being waylaid daily by those bandits, surely you do not suggest that we do nothing?"

"Triple the patrols… if we have enough soldiers patrolling the fields of Hyrule, we should swiftly be able to tell the difference. If that is the case, then I shall take the proper measures to solve this situation."

Of course, the Captain of the Guards objected. "Your Highness! We just do not have the effectives necessary to afford tripling the patrols, how do you suggest that we even do that?"

As always, her Highness was not one to be easily impressed by petty politics and bureaucracy. "Our kingdom has enjoyed a relative peace up until now, we have more than enough soldiers to keep order here within Hyrule Castle Town. Re-affect every soldier whose presence is negligible, and have the castle guards pitch in as well."

"Ah…" The Captain began and stopped. "… … Very well, my Queen, I shall do as you command…" He answered, clearly acknowledging that the young monarch's mind was set.

"As for the rest of you…" She began. "You are dismissed for the time being. I shall summon you whenever I have something new to communicate regarding these incidents."

The aristocrats were clearly unhappy with this early resolution, yet they grudgingly left, though not before making all the necessary bows and scrapes. Zelda looked to her side, expecting to find the young Sheikah, but he was already gone… "The Ocarina of Time…"

"Here… … …?"

* * *

Link had seen better days…

After the nightmarish eve that he had just gone through, it was refreshing to see some semblance of light through the drapes of the castle. Unfortunately, he still was in no position to walk.

Chained, his captors carried him all the way from the dungeon up to this floor and he wasn't exactly sure what they were going to do with him. Yet, the soldiers pressed on, dragging him across the floor, without ever losing sight of their luggage.

Gates after gates, door after door they walked through, as the labyrinthine hallways of Hyrule Castle laid themselves bare before them. Until they, finally, reached their destination…

The doors slid and the sunlight burned the man's eyes as they put him down upon the carpet, at a safe distance from the Queen.

A vision of ruin and decrepitude revealed itself before her Majesty's eyes, as she gazed upon this shell of a man that the guards had brought before her.

"Pay your respects to the Queen!" One of them barked, as he shoved the blunt end of his pike into the prisoner's ribs, removing his hood in the process.

Her Highness watched in horror, as the person she once called a friend, wearily tried to speak. "Long time no see… Princess…"

"Let him go this instant!" Queen Zelda ordered the guards, visibly shaken.

The two soldiers looked confusedly at one another, then back at her Highness, and reluctantly obeyed. They removed his chains, while her Highness lamented. "I'm so sorry… … … W-what happened to you…?"

Link breathed heavily, but despite all his goodwill he could not stand on his own. Her Majesty rushed to his side, but was immediately stopped by the sound of Sheik's voice. "My Queen, please refrain from stepping any further." He then turned to the prisoner and said. "As for you, stay where you are."

She protested. "It's fine Sheik…" Unfortunately, the Sheikah interrupted her in mid-sentence. "I'm afraid I'm gonna have to insist."

Exasperated, Queen Zelda complied. "I'm… sorry that we have to meet under these… circumstances. I am afraid there is not much I can do about it, what business brings you here after all this time? What in the goddesses names has happened to you?"

But it was far too late; the young man could already realize that coming here was a mistake to begin with. A lot can happen within twelve years, and despite his best efforts, he could not recognize her as he did within his memories. She was still the same, or at least, the same as she was meant to be; but something was different… Time was running short, that much he was aware of, and he could not wait any further. "It's not important…" He began. "While I am… glad to see you again, Princess, I'm afraid that my visit is not one of friendship. My time is short, and so I must be brief."

"I understand." Zelda responded with a bow, inviting him to continue.

Under the watchful eye of the Sheikah and the Royal Guardsmen, the prisoner continued. "I have come to request a favor, Princess; a boon, if you will."

"Oh. I… … … I see. And what might that be? What could I possibly offer you, that is within my power?" The Queen asked, confused as to the intent of his request.

"I am sorry, err… Queen Zelda…" He said, under the disapproving eye of her bodyguard. "This is something meant for your ears alone, and I refuse to discuss this while they remain within this room."

"Leave us!" She ordered, under the baffled looks of the guards.

Not knowing what else to do, the soldiers complied. However, Sheik had not moved an inch since she ordered them out, and seemed to hold little but contempt for the decrepit man kneeling before them. Link nodded in his direction. "HIM too."

"It's fine." Her Majesty explained. "Sheik is one of the Sheikah, what I can hear, he can hear. Nothing you say will leave this place."

At the mention of this name, the prisoner's eyes brightened up, slightly. Only to darken once more at the sight of her Highness. "… … … Very well, Princess…" For a moment Link seemed to be searching his words, and the weird thing was, that Zelda couldn't decipher the slightest bit of his purpose here. Twelve years before, they had said their farewells. So what could possibly be so important for him to return to Hyrule…?

What could possibly be so important to warrant such secrets?

"The Stones… I need to… borrow the Stones from you… … …"

* * *

**Author's Ramblings :** I have absolutely nothing interesting to say… … … So… surprise!

Oh! That's right... Looking back at my own material, I was shocked to notice a complete lack of structural delimitation, despite the fact that those were present within my own drafts. So, as a result, I have fixed the content of those chapters retroactively, so it should feel a bit less like a huge block of text.

I apologize for the inconvenience this might have caused.

**Preview :** For each requests granted, a dream is smothered… For every story a beginning and an end, but what lies in-between, when one's true feelings are wrapped in shadows? Friendship and suspicions walks hand-in-hand; and it will be up to Zelda, the Queen of Hyrule, to make this decision. What is the Hero of Time really struggling for within the mist?


	5. Parting Gift

**Chapter 5**

Parting Gift

* * *

"The Stones… I need to… borrow the Stones from you… … …"

Her Highness paused for a moment, thinking. Of course, she knew fully well which stones he was referring to. The fabled Spiritual Stones, which held the power necessary to unravel the secrets of the Temple of Time.

But the thoughts assaulting her mind weren't even remotely connected to the stones' significance. Why now? Why show up at her doorstep twelve years later, only to ask this one request?

"Why?" Queen Zelda asked, her composure unshaken by the nature of his query.

"I have need of them…" Link explained. "Is that not enough?"

"Of course, you made that very clear… but for what purpose?" She inquired, once more.

But despite her prodding, the broken prisoner kneeling before her, remained silent. "… … …"

Zelda did her very best to remain gracious with her guest; yet in her heart, she knew that even he, could not be trusted. Her Majesty sighed. "Then, I cannot fulfill this request of yours. I'm sorry…"

"Why? Are they still not within your possession?" He asked, perhaps moved by the urgency of his task.

"That is beside the point I'm afraid. Do you not remember the vow we made so long ago?" Her Majesty asked, rhetorically. "Of course you do…"

Fetching an ornate flute-like instrument from her pocket, she continued. "We made a promise once… that we would never speak of this ever again… So why here? Why now?"

The young man hesitated, but no words seemed to come out of his mouth, so he simply answered. "… … … Things have changed…"

"Link…" She replied, softly. "You know fully well what happened the first time we made use of these stones… Hyrule was almost delivered into the hands of a mere brigand… We were lucky enough to have been able to correct our mistake; but at what cost?" The young Monarch stopped briefly, as if trying to gauge his reaction. "We have caused so much damage and so much suffering that... … … I'm sorry, but I can't help you, if you won't trust me…"

For a fleeting moment, Zelda thought she might have caught a silver of reaction on his part, yet that was not meant to be. "I understand… I can't tell you why I really need the stones. But just this once, I ask you to trust me…"

All of her Majesty's efforts had been in vain. Her guest clearly had no intention to open up to her, and so, he had left her no other choice. "… … … I truly apologize, Link… I cannot grant you that which you seek…"

At that moment, the last vestiges of light within the hero's gaze vanished; his last glimpse of hope, smothered by the inflexibility of the Queen. "As you wish… Princess." Replied the prisoner, painfully lifting himself up. Then, with a last desperate plea, he made a gesture toward the most precious treasure of the Royal Family, and asked. "May I…?"

Her Highness gazed upon the priceless artifact for a brief moment and ultimately answered. "Perhaps it is time that this object be returned to its rightful place…"

* * *

The Hylian Queen was rather dissatisfied with how things went back when the guards had dragged the Hero of Time before her. Secretly, she been hoping for a happier reunion for both of them, but then again, this probably wasn't meant to be.

The young man had proved especially tight-lipped about what he had been up to for the past years and had little desire to share any more than he already had. Whether she liked it or not, his purpose remained shrouded in mystery.

In the meantime, she had agreed to surrender him his equipment and had since made allowances for him to remain within the castle, for as long as he saw fit.

It wasn't perfect, but it was the least she could do for the time being.

That night, the Queen's sleep was rather agitated, perhaps even more so than usual. Her dreams were filled with strange portents, whose meaning she had trouble deciphering.

It was… raining…

Not the kind of rain that was normally accompanied by thunder and lightning, nor one of those whose impact was barely felt upon one's skin. No, simply rain… pure, unbiased… as if the tears of the goddesses themselves were trying to wash away the land.

It lasted for what seemed like an eternity, until finally, nothing remained from what used to be called Hyrule…

Slowing regaining consciousness, Zelda was awakened by a strong gust of wind, which flung open one of her windows.

Currently wearing little more than her nightgown, her Majesty picked up the white shawl she had previously laid to rest upon her night table. Then, as a bolt of lightning pierced the sky in the distance, she closed it; allowing only the cold chill of the night air to penetrate the sanctity of her bedchamber.

Her Highness slowly rubbed her eyes in an attempt to recover her senses and distantly sat upon her bed, hoping for sleep to claim her once more.

But that also, wasn't meant to be.

If only to pass time, the young monarch fetched the metallic instrument she had put down close by and played that one song, which was close to her heart.

Yet, even this soothing music, was not enough to disperse the doubts that were obscuring her mind…

Had she made the right decision?

Had she made a mistake when she refused to grant her old friend that which he coveted? Was granting him her hospitality the right decision to make, given the circumstances?

Pensive, the wise ruler allowed herself to slide within the comfort of her sheets.

So many questions remained unanswered, yet she was certain there was something she had overlooked.

"The Stones!" She whispered in shock.

* * *

Threading softly upon the carpet, her Highness made her way to the food cellar; trying to convince herself that her suspicions were misplaced.

There was nothing to be afraid of. Back when she had assumed her father's title, she had made sure that the Stones would be forever hidden away from the eyes of others.

Yet, a silver of doubt on the back of her mind kept driving her forward.

At first glance, this part of the cellar had nothing special about it; but as her fingers glided across the cold, hard stone, she revealed the illusion that was concealing the secret vault; whose safeties were unraveled through merely a few notes from the Ocarina of Time.

And so, the golden glint of the mystic Spiritual Stones were laid bare before her.

The Kokiri Emerald, the Goron Ruby, the Zora Sapphire… all were still hidden away from the prying eyes of mortals. So that never again, the mistakes of the past could be repeated…

Despite her better judgment, the Queen allowed herself to be swayed by the glory of those legendary jewels and soon discovered that she was no longer alone…

The sounds of footsteps made themselves heard and Zelda dared not look back for fear of realizing the mistakes of her ways.

"Good evening… Princess…" A familiar voice began.

Visibly shaken by this sudden development, her Majesty turned to her interlocutor and was greeted by Link, who had seemingly recovered from his previous wounds. "Hm… good evening… W-what are you doing here?"

Having already sensed the obvious panic that was growing inside her, the leather-clad man replied. "Following you, obviously. I knew that sooner or later you would lead me to them…" Then, taking an unusually long glance at his prize, he continued. "Looks like I was right… I don't suppose you have changed your mind?"

"You know I can't give them to you, Link… I wish I could…" She answered sincerely.

"I understand…" He answered, nodding. Yet his actions already betrayed his much more sinister purpose, as he forced her to move aside.

The shimmering of the stones, caused by the nearby torches, caressed his figure; and in the heat of the moment, he extended his hand toward the fabled stones as his goal ultimately slipped away from his grasp. A semi-translucent layer of crystal had suddenly appeared to halt his progress, which prompted a suppressed fit of anger inside Link. His fingers grinding upon the pinkish barrier, the young man turned to her Highness. "Well played, Princess..."

"I'm sorry…" She began. "Too many people have already been hurt because of those. It is better for everyone that the doors to the Temple of Time remain closed..."

"This is not a request anymore." Link replied, as he started closing upon her. "Take this barrier down, or suffer the consequences…"

Scared, Zelda suddenly realized that the Hero of Time's gaze was slowly drifting away from her. Her bodyguard, Sheik, had been spying on them this whole time; and fearing for her safety, had quietly emerged from the shadows, ready to strike him down.

"Look out!" Her Highness desperately tried to warn him, but it was too little, too late…

By the time she had realized what was going on, the leather-clad man had already turned around and flung a bunch of improvised projectiles in his direction; creating a large flash of light, which blinded the surprised Sheikah momentarily.

Within a split second, Link had already reached the bodyguard's side and incapacitated him with the pommel of his sword. And so, the poor young man fell unconscious upon the floor, as the Queen watched the whole scene in horror…

"I have no idea how you managed to get it to his head that he was a Sheikah…" He began. "We both know fully well that the last of the Sheikah is no more, and with her, the very last of her kind."

Her Majesty was entirely speechless; her own bodyguard, taken out without the slightest hint of resistance...

"Now, where were we…" Link continued, in a tone that made her blood run cold. "For the last time, Princess; take this barrier down, if only out of gratitude for the service I have rendered to you and your kingdom."

"No…" She answered adamantly, as the walls closed in upon her with every step.

Her mind raced in order to find something that could possibly get her out of there, but there was no escape, it was hopeless…

Catching a solemn glint from the Ocarina of Time, the young man stopped and finally said. "Ah, I see that you have brought this bauble with you… I just realized that I had never quite thanked you for lending it to me so long ago…"

"It has helped me quite a bit during the past twelve years, and over time, I discovered myself a real talent for it…" He explained. "During my travels, I eventually realized that I was capable of replicating certain songs simply from hearing them once. Quite a useful a talent given the mysterious powers hidden within this artifact of the Royal Family…"

"Just what are you getting at?" She asked, her voice torn between terror and fear. "What does this have to do with anything?"

Link sighed, and fetched another flute-like instrument from his pouch. She remembered having seen this instrument before, back when she was a child, yet she failed to see its connection with their current situation. "I once… unknowingly… learned a melody from a little imp, that I once saved from evil spirits. I am certain that this wasn't his intention, but once I had heard it, I couldn't take it out of my head… and somehow it remained…"

"Wha-what are you planning?" She asked, frightened.

"The Ocarina of Time isn't the only musical instrument with mystical properties… The forest possess many strange powers of its own, and if you won't give me the stones willingly…" He said, bringing the Fairy Ocarina close to his lips. "Then I'm gonna have to force you…"

The Hero of Time played five notes successively… each more high pitched than the previous ones…

Then, suddenly, his fingers started running across all the various holes of his instrument, as if they were possessed by the devil itself. Time itself was running cold, as the strange Ocarina let out an eerie melody, which made the very air crepitate with magic.

Strands of lightning began to surround him, as Zelda could feel herself becoming overwhelmed by the sheer strength of these high paced measures.

She could sense the strange melody becoming more… aggressive… more vicious…

And with each series of three notes, masked spirits emerged from the bowels of his instrument; gliding across the air… driven on, by this supernatural music…

As the rhythm settled down, the malicious specters' gazes began to congregation upon her, to the point that she had trouble keeping up with all of them. Those spirits possessed no corporal envelopes so to speak, merely formless masks and two twisted limbs that ended in impossibly long nails…

And so, came the second wave of high-pitched sounds, which prompted the closest masked phantom to pounce upon her.

Her Highness averted her eyes, trying to tear herself away from this nightmare. However, as she realized that nothing was happening, she opened her eyes and saw more of the ghosts rushing her.

The song calmed once more, and she started to feel a strange hitching coming from the top of her left hand.

Something had started bubbling under her skin, and as she became aware of what was going on, this thing started crawling higher into her arm, like a large lump tunneling under her skin to the rhythm of his instrument. Terrified, her Highness looked upon her other arm and realized that the same thing was happening over there.

The evil phantoms began spreading all across her body, under her limbs, skin, torso…

Zelda's brain and body could barely process what was going on… This sensation of pain and terror surpassed anything she had ever experienced before, and soon, the insidious parasites crept into her brain, within her eyes…

Assaulted from all sides and her every senses assailed with unspeakable terrors, she could not take it any longer… her mind shattered… completely…

Realizing what had come to pass, the young man stopped playing and gazed upon the Hylian Queen, as she squirmed uncontrollably upon the floor; her eyes filled with nothing… but fear…

"You had your chance…" He said, visibly shaken by what he had just witnessed. "I'm sorry, Zelda… … …"

* * *

**Author's Ramblings **:

This chapter was really difficult to put together at last, namely because there was so much I wanted to cram into it. Honestly, I must say that this current incarnation of it looks nothing like my first draft, namely because I didn't want it to keep dragging longer than it had to.

What I find truly interesting about this chapter is that I am essentially breaking away from many of the established conventions of the series, in that absolutely nothing is off-limit.

The relationship between Link and Zelda was always a little bit vague to begin with, having her playing the fence between mysterious advisor guiding him throughout his adventures and that of a damsel-in-distress.

Between their different incarnations, we sort of get the idea that no matter what, no matter where, they'll meet again; either as friends, or perhaps something more. As if it was their destiny to repeat the same lives all over again.

While this was meant to happen all the way through, I figured that if I went after Zelda, then anything was possible…

Essentially breaking the cycle.

**Preview** :

The last pieces of Link's desperate plan are finally falling into place as he slam open the doors of the Temple of Time. However, as he grasps the hilt of the fabled Master Sword, memories comes rushing through…

And what of the poor Hylian Queen; who once defied the will of the goddesses themselves, for that one chance to save her kingdom?


End file.
